Claire
06-01-2011, 09:43 AM
This from the BBC:
Striking view of 'Milky Way twin'
https://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/53085000/jpg/_53085558_53085557.jpg
The image "could almost be a picture postcard of our own Milky Way", said the ESO
Continue reading the main story (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13600575#story_continues_1) Related Stories
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Astronomers have released what they say is the best-yet picture of NGC 6744, a spiral galaxy described as a "sibling" of our own Milky Way.
The image was snapped by the European Southern Observatory's MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope in Chile.
The galaxy lies 30 million light-years away, in the constellation Pavo.
While it is almost twice as large as the Milky Way, it exhibits the same sharply-defined spiral arms and stretched central region.
There is even a small companion galaxy, visible at the lower right of the image, which is analogous to our own galactic neighbours the Magellanic Clouds.
Those arms host many star-forming regions; the glow coming from hydrogen gas in these active regions shows up as red in the image.
Striking view of 'Milky Way twin'
https://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/53085000/jpg/_53085558_53085557.jpg
The image "could almost be a picture postcard of our own Milky Way", said the ESO
Continue reading the main story (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13600575#story_continues_1) Related Stories
Stellar nursery's stunning loops (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13049702)
Wreckage is from 'pristine star' (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12120430)
Astronomers have released what they say is the best-yet picture of NGC 6744, a spiral galaxy described as a "sibling" of our own Milky Way.
The image was snapped by the European Southern Observatory's MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope in Chile.
The galaxy lies 30 million light-years away, in the constellation Pavo.
While it is almost twice as large as the Milky Way, it exhibits the same sharply-defined spiral arms and stretched central region.
There is even a small companion galaxy, visible at the lower right of the image, which is analogous to our own galactic neighbours the Magellanic Clouds.
Those arms host many star-forming regions; the glow coming from hydrogen gas in these active regions shows up as red in the image.